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 Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:34 am
He lay by the babbling brook, sphinx-like, his head held up to the sun, eyes almost closed but not quite. He enjoyed the morning sunshine, when it wasn't too hot and it's caress was soul-warming. In fact, morning was one of his most favourite times.
A little chirp disturbed him, however, and his eyes opened to see Kucha hopping towards him. Her feathers looked glossy and healthy and her eyes were bright. He realised suddenly that he hadn't seen her in a long time. Not since he and Rehema had gotten together.
Had she been out and about? He'd almost thought that she had left him, but apparently that wasn't the case.
"Auri'rubani." He greeted her with the name he had gifted her the day she had led him to paradise. It meant golden guide, because to him, that what she had been. But what was she now? A friend? Yes, a friend. "I haven't seen you flying. Have you found yourself a family at last?"
She bobbed in courtesy and hoped up onto his toes, canting her head to get a better look of his large, fluffy face. "I'm sorry I've been gone so long, Ona'raha. I decided to stretch my wings a little." She occasionally got the urge to travel, to fly as hard and fast as she could. But now the urge was gone and so she had returned.
"I haven't found myself any family." She twittered sadly. "By the time I flew inland the birds were all but paired off." She looked sad now. Kucha was truly a motherly creature and in her whole life she had never found a mate, never raised hatchlings. She was beginning to think she'd never have a family and the thought cut deeply. "But you have, it seems. I returned a couple of days ago to see you with that lioness."
She fluffed out her feathers proudly. Because whilst she had no fledglings, she had adopted this lion just as she had adopted the wild dog Mataka in the past. "Congratulations, Ona'raha. You will make a fine pair. Truly. My work here is done now, I think."
"You're leaving? But why?" He blinked and stood, forcing Kucha to hop back to the ground. "Do you not like it here?" He shook his head and started slowly heading back to the den that he shared with Rehema. "I'm sorry if it's because I neglected our friendship, Kucha."
He watched as she zipped past his head, flying slowly just ahead of him, just as she had done when he had been small. Maybe it upset her to see him with a mate when she had none? No, that wasn't it. But then, what was it about?
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:30 am
Rehema took advantage of the night and the cool of the early morning. The lioness had crept out just as the sun began peeking over the distant mountains. The fog was perfect for cloaking her, though it dulled her senses a bit. A disadvantage for her was also a disadvantage for her prey, the key was making the best of it.
She'd made a kill further down towards the flatlands, a chubby female who'd isolated herself from her herd, either through panic or having lost sight of them in the fog.
The lioness approached with the creature's throat clamped firmly in her bloodied maw, the limp carcass bobbing and bouncing over the rocks as she dragged it back to their den. She rotated an ear and glanced back towards Ona. So he was already up...and talking with the bird. He seemed upset.
"Nothing like that." Kucha replied. "But you don't need me anymore. I remember finding you, that helpless, scraggly little lion hiding amongst the thorn bushes. You needed me to guide you home, to keep you going, to lift your spirits."
She came to land again and hopped around to face him. "There are others to keep you happy now. Besides, it's time I moved on. There are plenty more creatures who need a helping wing and maybe...one day...I'll have a family of my own."
Ona'raha nodded sadly, knowing that she was right. He had Rehema now and as much as he hated to admit it, the bird had not entered his thoughts much recently. He was young and completely in love. It wasn't that he could be blamed for that. Even still, he knew there was no point holding her back if her heart wanted to take flight again.
"So long as you come back and visit me. I wouldn't want our goodbye to last forever." He paused as he smelt a fresh kill on the air. A smile touched his maw as he thought of what a brilliant huntress Rehema was.
The thought of a family was an enticing prospect. He could understand why Kucha would want one of her own someday.
"The ealry riser returns?" He queried aloud.
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:36 am
The lioness glanced between the bird and her mate. So the bird was leaving... it was a shame. The little creature seemed to make Ona happy enough, no matter how akward it seemed to her for a lion to befriend something that would normally make a decent snack.
She dipped her neck to drop the kill, then licked at some of the blood around her maw, "Of course. With breakfast. Have you been practicing?"
"Not very much I'm afraid." Ona admitted sheepishly. "But I will, I promise. I wouldn't want to have to rely on you to do all the work. We should take care of each other, right?" He moved over to her, rubbing the side of his face against hers.
"You remember Kucha, right? The avian who led me here?" He gestured towards the bird with a tilt of his head. "She's going...on a journey." Why was it that his friends seemed intent on finding a purpose outside of the lands? He wasn't angry about it, but, it did make him feel sad.
First Malik then Kucha...
"Yes. I'll be leaving at the first sign of a clear sky." The orange avian continued. "So please, take care of Ona for me." And she ruffled her feathers. "I'll come back from time to time to say hello."
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:22 am
She nodded, "Of course I remember." She rumbled softly as Ona nuzzled her cheek. She couldn't help but smile, "I certainly hope that you find what you're looking for then, Kucha. It's a big world out there, just mind yourself and keep high, you should be fine."
She licked at her chops again, "And you will need to practice. If we're to have cubs I will not be able to hunt for a time." She poked at his chest with her paw. "Keep that in mind. We'll be counting on you."
As the bird spoke she nodded, "Of course. Perhaps he'll learn to take care of himself." She teased.
Kucha chuckled and bobbed her head. "Let's hope so." There was a teasing note to her voice and a sprakle in her round, dark eyes. Then she took a few hops back and spread her wings. "I'll come to see you again before I leave. Take care, both of you." And with quick sweeps of her bright wings she was up in the air, a flash of orange against the overcast sky.
Ona looked after her, wondering how it would be to just fly up into the air like that. Wings were a lot more useful than paws in any case.
And then it sunk in what Rehema had suggested. "C-cubs?" He cleared his throat, wincing at the croak in his voice. The idea didn't frighten him. In fact, it was a welcoming, pleasant idea. But it was a little scary and he'd been pondering on when best to bring up the subject.
Apparently Kucha had done that for him.
"Have you ever thought about being a mum?"
"Of course I have." She laid down and started to lick the blood from her paws. "Every lioness will when she gets old enough, it's only natural." She smiled a bit, "Besides, the clan needs new lives. It's ideal- there's hardly anyone else to threaton them."
She narrowed her eyes playfully, "Have -you- been thinking about being a dad?"
He nodded. "Seeing more lions in the clan would be wonderful. To have the lands buzzing with energy again would be a fantastic thing." He settled beside her, his side touching hers.
And she was right. These lands were safe. They had plent of food, water and he'd not felt threatened since he'd come here - well except for when he'd first arrived and he'd been jumping at pretty much anything that came his way.
"Me?" He shifted. "I suppose so." He laughed. "Definately. I'd like some new cubs to tell stories too, fresh ears to teach. Our own cubs...well...teaching them would be the most wonderful thing in the world."
"I think it would be a good experience for you. A lion finds his roar faster when he has to use it to protect what's his." She flexted her claws a bit and nudged the kill towards him, "Eat. Another lesson from where I come from- the females hunt, the males eat first."
She settled her paws back in front of her and watched him. If he was going to learn to be a real male, she might as well treat him like one.
"You think so?" He tilted his head. Could he really get angry and protective? He'd never snarled nor bared his teeth to anyone. And yet, imagining Rehema with cubs brought an instant desire to protect. Yes. Yes, he could quite easily use force if necessary, he was sure of that.
Like his parents before him, he would do everything to protect his own cubs.
He purred. "Oh, but you did all the hard work!" He replied, feeling suddenly awkward. "You should eat first. Besides, if cubs are on the future agenda, you should be taking care of yourself." He nudged her affectionately, teasingly.
"Ona." She narrowed her eyes and rolled her ears back, "Eat up. I got it for you. I need to rest a bit before I work up an appitite again, I'm afraid the climb up here's a bit more difficult than I originally thought." She started to lick down her forearm.
"Besides, you need your strength. I expect you to get dinner."
He laughed out loud. "So that's the way it is then, is it?" He shook his head. "Well if it's dinner you want I'd better head off after breakfast, it'll take me that long to track something." He nuzzled her and with a low, rumbling purr, tucked into his food.
So, who knew. Maybe when Malik and Kucha returned, they'd find the little family had grown.
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